SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - The American International College women's volleyball team extended its program record winning streak to 14 with a sweep over Assumption University on Saturday, October 30. With the win the Yellow Jackets have clinched a spot in the Northeast-10 Tournament, which will start on Tuesday, November 16.
FAST FACTS:
Final Score: AIC 3, Assumption 0
Set Scores: 25-21, 25-18, 25-21
Records: AIC improves to 21-6 (8-2 NE10); Assumption falls to 7-8 (5-5 NE10)
Location: Butova Gym Springfield, Massachusetts
KEY STATS:
AIC:
Andrea Serra-Rosa: 16 kills, 10 digs, 17.5 points
Ulrika Blomgren: 13 kills, 11 digs, 13 points
Mai-Lani Hernandez: eight kills, three blocks, 10.5 points
Naomi Eckert-Rivera: 40 assists, six digs
Amanda Rodriguez: 22 digs
Assumption:
Alexis Distasio: seven kills, five digs
Carly Goodhue: seven kills, four digs
Kyra Belden: 22 assists, nine digs
Barbara Illig: 24 digs
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Trailing 17-16 in the opening frame, the rookie Ulrika Blomgren started a rally for the Yellow Jackets with a kill. On the next play she notched another kill which gave AIC the lead. Sophomore Naomi Eckert-Rivera gave the Greyhounds a trick which was a treat for the Yellow Jackets as she recorded a kill of her own. Graduate Andrea Serra-Rosa had the last Yellow Jacket point of the run with a kill.
- Leading 22-20, the Yellow Jackets forced an Assumption error and then Serra-Rosa and junior Ada Guilera Martinez came together for a block to give AIC set point. Assumption tried to get something going but ultimately dropped the set 25-21 when Serra-Rosa added a kill to her total.
- Assumption took the first three points of the second frame but the Yellow Jackets tied it at six. Knotted at 13, Serra-Rosa sent a pass from Eckert-Rivera home with authority to pump the Yellow Jackets up.
- AIC forced back-to-back Greyhound errors to keep the set rolling. Newcomer Paola Soto-Burgos and Guilera Martinez each had a kill before they joined forces for a block. Serra-Rosa served a beautiful ball for an ace to make it 20-14. Sophomore Mai-Lani Hernandez gave AIC the set 25-18 and the 2-0 lead.
- After jumping to an early 5-1 lead the Yellow Jackets kept the Greyhounds at arm's length with a 12-7 advantage. Assumption raced their way back but only got as close a two points before Blomgren ended the set 25-21 and completed the sweep of the Greyhounds.
WE DIDN'T START THE FIREMAYBE WE DID
- The Yellow Jackets have won their past 14 matches which is a program record. Additionally, AIC has won 42 of their last 46 sets played.
- The 2001 team held the program's longest known winning streak at 12. That season the team finished their season on the streak to end the campaign with a 19-11 record. During their streak, they went on to take 36 of 43 sets.
- The 1997, 2009, 2016, 2017, and 2019 teams all recorded eight-match winning streaks with the 2016 team accomplishing the feat twice.
- The 1997 team had a nine-game winning streak. In a 15-game stretch that season the Yellow Jackets went 15-2 and took 47 of 57 sets.
SHE'S MOVING ON UP. THE RECORD BOOKS
- Serra-Rosa needed a single dig against Saint Michael's College to join the 1,000 career digs club. With that dig, she became just the fifth player in program history to join the 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs mark. The other members of the club are Judith Swift '00,Jana Potic'19, Ellisha Terry '11, and Sarah Neaves '01.
- Serra-Rosa has been a force in her three seasons with the Yellow Jackets. With her performance against Franklin Pierce University, she moved into the top three in two career categories.
- Entering the match against the Ravens she needed one kill to pass former NE10 Player of the Year Diva Rivas-Reyes for the third spot. Her 1,330 career kills are only behindPotic'19 (1,497) and Swift (1,583).
- She also passed Terry for third place in points. Serra-Rosa's 1,522.5 points only trails Potic's 1,744.5 and Swift's 2,157.5.
NEXT UP:
- The Yellow Jackets hit the road for their final road game of the season on Saturday, November, 6 against Bentley at 1 p.m.
